Robbie Keane eyeing up managerial role after playing career ends

LA Galaxy striker Robbie Keane has no plans to hang up his boots just yet but he has spoken of his desire to stay in the game he loves as a coach when he does eventually retire.

The Republic of Ireland international has set his sights on one day managing his country but wants to ease his way into the coaching lifestyle by first becoming an assistant manager.

“It is something I would be interested in,” Keane said. “A few years down the line, it would have to be. I’m not going to get something like that at the start, like anything, it depends what opportunities you get. You don’t walk into jobs. You have to establish yourself.

“The last year or so I have been doing my coaching badges. The reason I am doing them now is that if an opportunity does come along and I am finished playing, then I can look at it.

“Maybe going in with a manager as an assistant because I have a lot to offer on the training field in terms of sessions I know players will like,” he added.

“When you are an assistant manager, you have to be in between the players and the manager. You have to have the relationship where you can sometimes go to those players who don’t feel comfortable going to the manager.”

The LA Galaxy captain is a natural leader and showed that as he led the Galaxy to their fifth MLS Cup title in December, netting the winning goal in extra-time.

He could start his coaching career in MLS with the Galaxy as he is already a leader to the younger players in the squad. The Irishman has scored 69 goals in 115 appearances for the reigning champions in all competitions and has recently helped Gyasi Zardes develop into one of the league’s most lethal attackers.